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No. 6|2,75a. r Patented oct. |8`, 189s. .1. H. & D. B. `VAN Donn & .1. T. wHl'rl-:Huusl-L LOCKING AND INDICATING MECHANISM FUR CELL DUQRS.

(Application led Dec. 2, 1897.)

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No. 612,758. Patented oct. l, |893. '.J. H. & D. B. vAN Donn & .1. T. wHn'EHousE. LOCKING-AND NDICTING MECHA'MSM FOB CELL DOUBS.

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No. 6I2,758. Patented Oct. I8, |898.

' J. H. & D..B. VAN DURN & J. T. VWHITEHUSE.

LOCKING A'ND INDIGATING MEGHANISM FOR CELL DODBS.

(Application tiled Dec.- 2, 1897.) '(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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JAMES H. VAN DORN, DVIGHT B. VAN DORN, AND JOHN T. WHITEHOUSE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE VAN DORN IRON WORKS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LoeKlNc. AND INDICATING MECHANISM FOR CELL-DOORS.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,758, dated October 18, 1898. Application led December 2, 1897. Serial No. 660,480. (No model.)

To all whom t may con/cern,.-

Be it known that we, J AMES H. VAN DoRN, DWIGHT B. VAN DonN, and JOHN T. WHITE- HOUsE, citizensof the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga anism for the doors of a tier of jail-cells and to indicating mechanism whereby an attendant may Without examining all of said doors determine what doors are unlocked. By means of the mechanism comprising our inzo vention all of the cell-doors may be simultaneously unlocked, or one or more cell-doors may be locked in such manner that it or they will not be unlocked when all of the others are simultaneously unlocked, or any one cellz5 door 'may be unlocked Without unlocking the other doors. The locking mechanism of all of the doors may be placed in such condition that each cell-door is automatically locked when it is closed. The indicating mechanism is connected with the locking mechanism in such manner that it is operated by said locking mechanism, wherefore the indicator will faithfully show when the several cell-doors are locked and cannot be manipulated so as 3 5 to show that a door is locked when it is unlocked.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the end cell of a tier of cells, the door of said cell being open, while the mechanism for simultaneously unlocking all of the celldoors is in such position as it will occupy when all of the remaining doors are shut and locked. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the locking mechanism which is associated with each cell. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a sectional view on 5o line 4 4 of Fig. 3 when the cell-door is locked.

Fig. 5 is a similar fviewwhen the cell-door is locked. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 7 7 of Fig.` 1. Fig. VS is a plan view of 55 certain mechanism shown in Fig. l. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the indicator and some of its operating mechanism. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of some of the indicating mechanism, and Fig. ll is a perspective view of 6o certain parts of the indicating mechanism and mechanism for locking the cell-doors.

Referring to the parts bywletters, A represents the left cell of a tier of cells arranged in a row.

B represents the cell-door, having wheels at its upper end, by which it is supported upon and moved along a fixed track a. As shown in Fig. l, the door is open, and a' represents the opening through the Wall of the cell which `7o is adapted to be closed by the door. Secured upon the inside of each cell is a rock-shaft C, which :is mounted in suitable bearing-brackets a2. On the end thereof which is nearest the cell-opening is a locking-arm c, which pro# jects through an opening@3 in the cell-wall. To the other end of this rock-shaft is secured a shortarm c', the end of which lies in a horizontal slot din the lower end of a springbolt d, which bolt is part of the lock D. This lock is likewise secured to the inner Wall of the cell, and the keyhole cl2 is formed through the Wall of the cell. The interior construction of this lock is not material, provided it is of such character that by inserting and turning the proper key the bolt may be maintained in its raised position, and when the key is turned in the other direction the bolt may be permitted to move under the iniiuence of the spring to its lowestposition. 9o

Between the rock-shaft C and the Wall of the cell, mounted in the same bracket a2, is a sliding latch-rod E. To the end thereof which is nearest the opening in the cell-wall is an arm e, which projects through the opening a3 95 in the wall of the cell. The other end of this latch-rod is adapted to slide beneath a shoulder d2 on the bolt d and is caused to move in that direction by a spring e. Vhen the bolt cl is raised, the rock-shaft C is rocked, raisioo 2 p I i 612,758

ing the locking-arm c into substantially the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position it does not interfere with the opening of the celldoor. When the bolt is thus raised, the spring e thrusts the latch underneath the shoulder on said bolt and for the time being prevents the bolt from descending. Secured to the cell-dooris a lock G, the bolt g of which is provided with a lug g', extending toward the wall of the cell. When the bolt is in its normal position, the lug g may slide through an opening hin the frame Il, which is secured' to the outside of the cell-wall. The bolt g may be lowered by a key, which carries this lug g to such a position that it is behind a bracket-lug I, which is secured to the front of the cell.

The construction of the lock G is not material to the present invention. In the form shown the bolt g is pivoted to the inside of the case, and its movement u p or down is controlled by a series of tumblers and effected by a key. Any lock may be used at this point, provided the bolt may be moved up or down, as described, and provided it has a lu g which is the equivalent substantially of the lug g. On the rear side of the case of the lock G is a lug g3, which when the door is closed closes the opening in frame l-I, before described, so that the bolt may not be reached from outside.

The operation of the described parts is as follows: Suppose the door to be closed. To open it, the bolt d'is raised, and this may be efected by a key, thereby rocking the rockshaft C, by means of which the locking-arm c is moved out of line with the lug g' on bolt g. The cell-door may now be opened. In fact, the opening` is started by the action of the latch-rod spring e'. The rear end of this latch-rod E passes underneath the bolt d and holds it up, and the arm e, pushing against the lug g", initiates the backward or opening movement of the cell-door. Then the door is closed, the lug g strikes the arm e and slides the latch-rod E so\as to withdraw it lfrom beneath the bolt d, which bolt then moves down under the influence of its spring',l

causing the rock-shaft C to rock, whereby the lockingearm c, secured to said shaft, is moved down behind the lug y, where it acts to prevent the door from being reopened.

The described mechanism is provided for each cell, and those parts of the mechanism which. are secured to the inside of the cellwall are covered by a plate or box a, which is riveted to said wall. Pivoted to each one of the bolts d is link the upper end of which is pivoted to the crank-arm l7' on a short shaft J, which passes through and is suitably jour* naled in the wall of the cell near the top thereof. On the outer end of this shaft a second arm j is provided, and a friction-wheel j? is mounted in the end of this arm. ObviouslgyT raising the end of this arm j the bolt d is raised and the cell-door unlocked, as before explained.

NVhen the bar is moved in the contrary direction, all of the bolts d are permitted to move downward underl the influence of their springs and do so move when the latch E is withdrawn from beneath the bolts. This bar is moved backward and forward bya pivoted arm 'm1, which is pivoted to a bracket a7. On the opposite side of the pivot is a gear-segment m', which meshes with a pinion n. This pinion is secured to the upper end of a shaft N, which extends downward to a convenient point, where a handle n is attached to it, by

means of which said shaft may be turned.

O represents a lock-case containing a lock vby means of which this shaft N may be locked in that position which it occupies when the cell-doors are locked.

P represent-s a bell-crank lever the horizontal arm of which is connected by a link or wire p with one arm of a bell-crank lever R, which is pivoted on a vertical axis. The other arm of this bell-crank lever is connected by a rod r with the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever T, the horizontal arm of which is connected by a link t with the indicator leverarm S. On the outer end of this indicator lever-arm is a sector-shaped piece s', having at the outer surface and near its lower end a number or other sign s2, indicating the cell with which it is associated. A spring s3 acts, when permitted to act, to swing the indicator into position where said number shows through an opening n in the case U, which covers the entire series of indicators.

By tracing back the described mechanism it will be seen that when the bolt d is raised and the cell-door is unlocked the indicator S is swung downward, so that its number `is no longer visible through the opening of the case. This locking-bolt D cannot go down until the IOO IIO

latch-rod E has been moved so as to release it, and this latch-rod cannot be so moved until the cell-door has been closed and the arm g has contacted with the arm e. It is apparent, therefore, that the indicator will exhibit its characteristic ligure when the cell-door is closed and locked and at no other time. The mere closing of the door does not bring the indicatorigure into view, but, as before stated, this is brought into view by the action of the lock, which automatically acts when the door is fully closed, and when unlocked the indicator-figure is not visible.

The described mechanism can be manipulated in such way that bythe operation ofV site direction all of the cell-doors will lock as i soon as they are closed. if, however, it is desired to lock one 'door of the series, so that it will not be unlocked when the shaft N is operated in the unlocking direction, this result is effected by means of a key inserted in the lock G, by means of which the lock-bolt g is moved downward behind the bracket-lu g a3. This particular celldoor cannot be opened, although its rock-shaft may be moved when all of the others are moved.

When it is desired to unlock one cell-door without unlocking them all, this is eected by a key introduced into the lock D, whereby the bolt d is raised, with the result of rotating the rock-shaft C and unlocking that celldoor.

Having described our invention,we claiml. The combination of a series of cell-doors, a spring-lock associated with each door, a device preventing the locking action of each spring-lock and adapted to be moved so as to release the spring-lock when the cell-door is closed, and means for simultaneously moving the bolts of all of said spring-locks in the unlocking direction, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a series of cell-doors, a spring-lock associated with each cell-door, independent devices for preventing the movement of the sliding bolt of each spring-lock in the locking direction which device is adapted to be operated to release the spring-bolt by the closing of the door, an indicating device associated with each spring-lock and operating mechanism intermediate of said spring-bolts. and indicator mechanism.

3. The combination with a series of jailcells, sliding doors therefor, each having a locking-lug, a spring-lock secured to the wall of each cell, a rock-shaft J having the arms j 4o jz associated with each spring-lock connected between one of said arms and the associated spring-lock, and means for simultaneously engaging with and moving the other arms of said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

4.. The combination of a series of cell-doors, a spring-lock associated with each door, an

'- automatic latch for preventing the locking movement of the bolt of each spring-lock, which latching device will be released by the closing of the cell-door, mechanisms for moving said bolts in the unlocking direction, a sliding rod adapted to engage with and operate all of said mechanisms, a device for moving said rod, and a lock for preventing the operation of said device, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a sliding door, a lug secured thereto and projecting toward the wall of the cell, a rock-shaftmounted on the wall of the cell and having a locking-arm which is adapted to be moved behind said locking-lug, a spring-lock, the bolt of which engages with and operates said rock-shaft,

substantially as described.

6. The combination with a sliding cell-door,

a lug secured thereto and projecting toward the `wall of the cell, a rock-shaft mounted on the wall of the cell and having a locking-arm which is adapted to be moved behind said locking-lug, a spring-lock, the bolt of which engages with and operates said rock-shaft, a longitudinally movable spring actuated latch-rod adapted to engage with the bolt of said spring-lock and prevent its movement in the locking direction and having an arm projecting into the path of said lug, whereby the closing of the door causes the engagement of said lug and arm and withdrawal of said latch-rod from engagement with the bolt of the spring-lock, substantially as described.

7. The combination of acell-door, a lock secured thereto having a vertically-movable bolt and a rearwardly-projecting lug upon said bolt, with the wall of the cell, a bracketlug secured thereto and adapted to prevent the opening of the door when saidlockingbolt is in one position, a rock-shaft mounted on the wall of the cell and having an arm which is adapted to engage with the iirst lug named when the bolt is in its other position, a spring-lock for moving said rock-shaft in the locking direction, substantially as described. 8. The combination of a cell-door, a lock secured thereto having a vertically-movable bolt and a rearwardly-projecting lug upon said bolt, with the wall of the cell, abracketlug secured thereto and adapted to prevent the opening of the door when said lockingbolt is in one position, a rock-shaft mounted on the wall of the cell and having an. arm adapted to engage `with the first lug named when the bolt is in its other position, a springlock for moving said rock-shaft in the lookin g direction, a spring-actuating latch-rod which automatically engages with the bolt of said spring-lock and has an arm which projects into the path of said lug, whereby the latch is withdrawn from engagement with the spring-bolt, when the cell-door is locked, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a movable door, a spring-bolt associated therewith, a latching device adapted to prevent the locking action of the spring-lock mechanism, which locking device is adapted to be withdrawn by the closing of the door, and indicating mechanism adapted to be operated by said spring-lock mechanism, and operating mechanism intermediate of said indicating device land springlock mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. VAN DORN. DWIGHT B. VAN DOEN. JOHN T. WHITlLI-IOUSE.V Witnesses;

LEVI GOLDEN, JNO. TooN.

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